Logistics firm Brit European Transport is expanding its fleet and powering its sustainability drive with a £4m funding boost from Lloyds Bank.

The Middlewich-based firm, which boasts blue chip clients including manufacturing giants JCB and Mercedes-Benz, operates in a range of sectors including automotive, construction, agriculture and modular buildings.

The company has operating licences for a fleet of 149 trucks and 171 trailers and operations spanning a number of countries, including the UK, Ireland, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany.

The recently agreed £4m asset finance package from Lloyds Bank will be used to invest in new, fuel fuel-efficient tractor units to accelerate the company’s sustainability plans.

This is the latest in a series of investments Brit-European has made to bolster its sustainability credentials.

Last year the company opened its new headquarters at the Vita Nova Centre, featuring 80 on-site solar panels.

It also has plans to install its new wind turbine early next year, which the business estimates will enable almost all of its energy use to come from its own renewable energy sources.

Brit European also claims a world first in using methane gas recovered from slurry pits to help charge its eight hybrid and electric vehicles at any one time.

The company estimates that its vehicles powered by methane gas travel up to 130,000 miles a year. With waste methane gas being a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, reusing methane gas, which is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, enables Brit European to further reduce its environmental impact.

Brit European chief executive Graham Lackey, said: “Using more innovative means and technologies will be crucial in making inroads to meet net zero. We know that our clients want to act quickly to become more sustainable.

“As key partners in their supply chain, it’s our responsibility to find ways to help them achieve this and support them on their journey.”

He added: “The new trucks and trailers are just another example of how we’re evolving. The scale of this investment represents our ambitions to make a change and remain as leaders within our sector.”

Kay Wareing, relationship director at Lloyds Bank, said: “Brit European shows what’s possible when there is a clear plan on target areas that will turn the dial on sustainability. We support businesses with sustainable growth ambitions and have the financial tools they need to make plans a reality.”

She added: “With Brit European we helped by reviewing their operations and spotted where they can make green gains, whether that’s investing in a more sustainable fleet of vehicles or looking at solutions like implementing new machinery or installing renewable energy sources.

“As we transition to net zero, all businesses will be looking at their operations and how much carbon they’re producing, and finding innovative ways to reduce it.”

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